The present invention relates to a vehicle steering system, and in particular to a method and apparatus for reducing the chance of roll-over of a motor vehicle by assisting a driver in steering the motor vehicle.
Numerous safety systems have been incorporated within motor vehicles for deploying safety devices in the vehicle if an imminent rollover of the vehicle is detected. These systems typically include extendable roll cages, devices for removing any slack within the safety restraints of the associated vehicle, airbag deployment devices within the vehicle, etc. While these devices increase the overall safety of the vehicle, they do not help eliminate the ultimate roll-over of the vehicle.
Other systems that have been designed to reduce the possibility of vehicle roll-over are not adapted to take dynamic factors into account. These “static” systems are typically programmed to react to a particular set of circumstances and cannot take parameters such as vehicle loading, velocity of the vehicle and vehicle suspension deflection into account. These systems are useful in some situations, however, lack the flexibility to provide the operator with the maximum vehicle performance in dynamic situations.
Accordingly, there is a need for a safety system that reduces the possibility of vehicle roll-over while maximizing the steering efficiency of the associated vehicle.